Edge Or Flora ?

[Deano37]

Hi there i am new to fish keeping and i have posted a few questions lately about the fluval edge which i like the look of once planted, i want a small-ish tank as not a lot of space i like the fluval range as good to look at, maybe fluval edge or flora i like both of them what do you think ? i want a betta and a small shoal of neon tetras and quite heavily planted i am aware i maye need to buy extra light for the flora and if i get edge not sure weather to get the new version with 21 LED lights and 3 night lights or the old version with 2 bulbs and upgrade to led bulbs ?
the flora is more cube and the edge more rectangle what do you guys think ?

any ides
thanks Dean

 

[DrRob]

I prefer the flora for shape and therefore ease of maintenance. I've not had any trouble growing plants in my ebi, which is pretty much the same tank.

I would probably steer you more towards the smaller fish if you want a shoal, like the chilli rasboras, you can actually fit a sensible number of them in the tank whearas you end up with too few neons to look right in a 30l.

 

[Deano37]

thanks drrob yeah i am steering more towards flora now , did you require another light aswel to grow plants ? also did you buy a heater ? i also like the look of the chilli rasboras, neons look better but like you say we be able to get more in that tank

thanks Dean

 

[the_lock_man]

I prefer the flora for shape and therefore ease of maintenance. I've not had any trouble growing plants in my ebi, which is pretty much the same tank.

I would probably steer you more towards the smaller fish if you want a shoal, like the chilli rasboras, you can actually fit a sensible number of them in the tank whearas you end up with too few neons to look right in a 30l.

I have to agree. My 34l has a fighter and 10 chillis.

 

[Deano37]

ok so i have decided and think i am going to get a fluval flora with a second light as most people have, just a quick question are the bulbs for the compact light easy enough to get ? also will have loads or stocking and set up questions at a latter date but if anyone has a fluval flora let me know about ur experience
thanks Dean

 

[DrRob]

It's fairly easy to get PC bulbs, getting the right wattage and kelvin rating you want can be more of a challenge though, but you can buy them if you hunt around.

I've heard comment that they're not that easy to change the bulb on, but haven't, as yet, had any need to try to be honest. There are a couple of screw that look like they take the fixture to pieces that are easy to get at, but that doesn't mean it's easy after that.

The other option would be, instead of buying a second lighting rig, to change it for one that you prefer the power on altogether. Worth shopping around and seeing what you come up with. I'm doing OK at the moment with just the spec bulb growing medium to high light plants but haven't got the tubing for my CO2 sorted yet for it.

There are some tank threads on here but I think they were all ebi's (same thing with shrimp food and water conditioner rather than the CO2 set by what I can see).

 

[Deano37]

yeah its hard to find much on the flora, did u have to buy heater and if so can i ask what heater you purchased ? also what plants are u currently stocking in your flora ?

thanks Dean

 

[DrRob]

For the heater it depends what your room conditions are. I have an old 25w I had lying around in there and it's fine, but the room is fairly constantly warm as a background, so I don't need much in there.

I'm growing a few crypt wendetii, some Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (which is going absolutely crazy) some Pogostemon helferi (which isn't going quite so crazy, but is pretty close to) and some Echinodorus tenellus (which is doing OK, but has taken a while to get established and could probably do with some more light). There's also some java moss which gets harvested every week. It's mainly what I had lying around. The HC started well but slowed down, so I moved it to the other tank, where it was promptly dug up by the fish.